Weekly Q&A - Foundations

Wearing the proper undergarments can make a huge difference in the way clothes look on your body. 

After I posted the photo below, I was asked many times about the bra I wear style. The one that supports and fits my body best is this one from Soma. Click here for more info on this bra.

Do you keep bras too long, washing and wearing them too many times, as well as purchasing the same size year after year?  Your bra size can change with as little as a five-pound weight loss or gain. 

When I found the great fitting hard-working bra pictured above, I went to a Soma store and tried on about seven different styles until I found the one that fit my body shape, including my breasts' actual shape. This bra has a tiny bit of padding at the top of the cup to fill where I need it, not at the bottom of the cup where I certainly do not need it. I continue to get fitted for bras every year. Our bodies are constantly changing.

Yo-Yo dieting throughout my life has given me skin that is less than taut. When I wear clothes that are more body revealing or fabrics such as jersey knits that are less forgiving, I always wear a body slimmer such as the one shown above from Macy's. Control and contouring are not my goals. I wear this garment simply to give me a smoother look under my clothes. These also come in a longer thigh length style like the one shown below.

Visible panty lines are never acceptable. This style of panty from Soma is the one I wear every day.

My legs are not going out in public in a dress without stockings at almost sixty years old. I don't care what the trends are!

My favorite stockings of all time were a gift from a blog reader who sent me 8 denier pantyhose from Paris. This style from Wolford is a close match.

Foundation garments are possibly the most important part of your look. For example, an ill-fitting bra can ruin the look of a very expensive blouse. Wearing beautiful lingerie makes you feel confident and elegant. Great fitting lingerie that smooths and lifts is not a luxury; it is imperative for me. I will budget for the right pieces to make sure all of my other clothes look and fit the way I want them.

The Basics!

A wardrobe that includes items that can be mixed and matched will serve you well.

1. A good trench coat can go to the grocery store over jeans or to the opera over an evening gown. Just remember to tie that belt in front or back and push up the sleeves and scrunch the collar to keep it from appearing too stiff. Other colors might flatter your skin tone more than the common tan color. Consider gray, navy, or red for your go to coat. Avoid Polyester. 
2. Great fitting dark wash jeans are almost always appropriate. 
3. A low heeled comfortable boot in black or brown can take you through most of the fall and winter.

1. A black straight or A-line skirt that ends at or below the knee. 
2. A blazer in a color that you like to wear near your face. It can go over jeans, dresses, skirts, and slacks. Wear it belted with sleeves pushed up with a pair of jeans for a great casual look.
3. Tank tops can be worn as a first layer all year long. Slim fitting, not clingy, is a good investment. Chico's has really great ones. They don't cling, and they launder beautifully
4. A black pair of pumps. It doesn't matter what heel height or toe shape, but you will want to own at least one pair.
5. A clutch bag for the evening or any special event. A bulky shoulder bag ruins the lines of any outfit. 
6. A pair of earrings that make you feel special when you put them on.

There has been at least one little black dress (LBD) in my closet since I turned 18. 

Note the amount of coverage of the shoe relates to the amount of coverage of the dress. The coat, jacket, and sweaters shown can be worn with the dresses to totally change their look.

1. A straight leg (not skinny) pair of black jeans or tailored pants will serve you well on many occasions.

2. A simple white long sleeve tee that fits close to the body, not clingy, will work well under vests, jackets, and fine gauge cardigan sweaters.

3. Scarves in bright colors that flatter your complexion can make an otherwise dull look come to life and tie an outfit together.

4. Flat comfy brogues for those days when you know you will be walking and standing a lot.

5. A casual bag that isn't all one color and is made of durable fabrics such as canvas and leather.

6. Accessories add the finishing touch. Don't skip them even on a casual day!

I also find it is great to own light neutrals which can be worn with everything else. Nude pumps, a luggage color bag, tortoise sunglasses, khaki pants, and last but not least, a white blouse.

One last important note: There is never a time that a white bra will work. It will show through no matter what you wear it with. A nude bra (the color of your skin) is always a much better choice. Foundation garments are just that, the building blocks upon which everything else rests. If they aren't doing their job, you will never look as good as you could in your great new wardrobe. Get a professional bra fitting. You will be so glad you did!

The Magic V

A wise woman knows how to draw attention to what she considers her best feature and away from what she isn't fond of.

Because of my round face, I always enjoy wearing a V-neck top. The straight lines of square sunglasses offset my round face, as do the straight lines of a V-Neck top. This beautiful royal blue V-Neck top is from Covered Perfectly.

You may have noticed that when I wear a scoop neck or round neck top, I almost always offset that with a long necklace that forms a V, or I wear a jacket that forms a vertical neckline. The red simple comfort top above is from Covered Perfectly.

Since it is too hot to wear a jacket here right now, this sheer cascading vest from Covered Perfectly is just the right layering piece for summer weather. It can be worn loose or tied in various creative ways to provide those all-important vertical lines that diminish the shelf effect of a large bust. 

Surprise! All the shoes in today's post are flats. Notice that they have almond-shaped or pointed toes. There is a fool the eye technique in place here as well. A more pointed toe visually elongates my short thick calves.

The picture above shows you the difference a round neck tee makes with a round face. This is the most rounded neckline I own, but it is still not the crew neck that most tees have. I would never wear those. I try to at least always show the collar bones.

Another important thing to note is the beige bra I am wearing above and the black bra I am wearing below. Whenever you wear a dark color top, always wear a black bra to don't get the headlights effect from the camera flash.

There is a magic ratio in the depth of a V-neck. The distance between the red lines below is about the same. That equal distance would be the lowest plunge I could ever wear comfortably.

While we are on the subject of subtle things you can do to draw the eye up to your face, let's talk about lip color. I am often guilty of wearing an almost nude lipstick, which does nothing for me, so I switch to a brighter, more intense lip color so that my face doesn't fade away. As we age, our coloring becomes softer and more muted. I also fill in my brows and wear upper lid eyeliner smudged with a thin dark line of shadow to have a softer smokey effect. Everything should be blended and blotted well so that your features are enhanced softly.

You can find more fabulous tops created for us gals over 50 at Covered Perfectly. Fifty, not Frumpy followers can get a 20% discount on up to two items! Use the discount code FNF20 when you check out at Covered Perfectly. There are several styles to choose from, and the discount will apply on up to two items; after that, you can take advantage of the buy 2 get 1 FREE special!

I hope these tips help you to achieve a look that is flattering for you as well.

Scarf Tricks

It is my 60th birthday month!

There will be celebratory dinners, spa visits, lunch with friends, and weekend getaways. Last evening we enjoyed a special dinner with our dearest friends.

It was a real challenge to take photos in front of the bank near my house due to the whipping winds. We try to take photos before I get all rumpled from sitting in the car; that's why our backgrounds are often the same.

A few subtle changes in my style will come about in the next season of my life. Scarves will be added to my look a lot more often. Wearing a scarf in colors that flatter your complexion is an easy way to add color and pattern without wearing a print over your whole body.

Black, white, and denim are my neutrals and the largest blocks of color in my wardrobe. None of these colors are especially flattering close to my face. The good thing about my base of neutrals is that I can pull in small doses of the colors that are more flattering. 

The basis of great style is taking suggestions from trends or outfit ideas and making them work for your shape and lifestyle.

I have been collecting colorful scarves and tanks for years. Wearing a tank (over the correct *bra) with a color-coordinated beautiful silk scarf tied simply near my face can make almost any combination of base pieces work together.

*The bras that work best for me are the Ultimate Shapeez Bra for long-line smoothing.

When all else fails, go across the street inside the Post Office to take a closeup without the wind whipping your hair all over your face.

The shot above includes the portrait area. Keeping the scarf in this area avoids adding more bulk to my bust.

If I am wearing a larger scarf with more texture for warmth, I will tie or wrap it so that it hangs in smooth straight lines rather than adding more fluff where I am already "fluffy." 

Subtle makeup, a simple hairstyle, not too much jewelry, a soft, supple silk scarf in vibrant jewel tones, and less stress are all elements that I plan to enjoy in the coming years.

The long duster cardigan is from White House|Black Market. The tank and the pants are old from Chico's. The shoes are old by Sam Edelman. The earrings are old by Brighton. The ring is a long-ago gift from Mr. Mickey.

My scarf tying techniques are always simple and easy. This one is a long rectangle shape, so I wrapped it around my neck twice and tied the ends loosely.

The Fabulous Adea Basics

Adea equals well-made basics that last. 

On this rainy evening, I wore my Adea black tank with black leggings and a muted gold swing jacket.

I tried many different items over this tank and found that everything floated across it with no clinging at all. The fabric is buttery smooth, and sleek. It is so comfortable against your skin you will forget you are wearing anything at all. The straps are wide enough to hide your bra straps, which is always a necessary feature for me.

The camisole was so comfortable throughout the whole evening. It did not lose its shape at all.

This fall, Adea is launching a new, reversible camisole! Wear it as a v-neck or a scoop neck, whatever your outfit or mood requires. The reversible camisole will be available in two lengths, standard, and tunic lengths, for more layering choices and is made from Adea’s long-lasting, breathable, wrinkle-resistant fabric. The inch-wide straps also offer coverage for most bra straps, so the camisoles work as tank tops too. The Adea reversible camisole is a must-have wardrobe essential for women – travel with it, wear it to work, lounge with it at home as a v-neck one day, and scoop the next! Made in the USA and Italy. www.myadea.com

These tanks, camisoles, and layering tops made from Italian-made fabrics transform into timeless silhouettes that contour to your body for a modern, feminine fit. They are soft, machine washable, and include UV protection 50+. Adea uses an intelligent, stretch microfiber that gives all of their products the luxurious feeling of a second skin. Great for lounging at home or when you're busy at work, for running around town or around the globe, these pieces will become an indispensable part of your wardrobe. 

After adding some carefully chosen accessories, I was ready for our evening out.

Mr. Mickey and I had dinner at Gourmet and Company and then attended the first performance of the concert season by our Johnson City Symphony Orchestra, celebrating its 45th year.

Packing For A Summer Trip

When we travel, I take a few items that work together instead of pack outfits that may or may not be successful when we arrive at our destination. A few great accessories always help to create unique combinations.

For several days, we will be traveling to attend a unique wedding. There will be lots of walking, sightseeing, shopping, exploring old downtown, and eating out. All of these events will be very casual.

One of my personal packing rules is always trying on everything I am taking to make sure it looks the way I think it will look. There is nothing worse than getting ready for that special event only to find that the shoes you brought to go with your pants are too low to bring the hem off the floor. Today I am sharing the looks I plan to create from the items shown above on the rolling rack.

Below, I am wearing the tunic with jeans and sandals, all from J.Jill. The satchel is from JMcLaughlin. The crinkle cotton tunic is so lightweight I could wear it even on a sweltering day.

My apologies for the odd colors in these photos. The camera takes on an agenda of its own when we have to shoot inside and use the flash.

The gala sand-washed tunic will work with all of the pants.

The white long sleeve tee is very lightweight, so I can wear it with the vest and the white jeans when we go out to dinner.

The pieces shown above can be worn in many combinations according to the weather and where we are going. I am just showing you a few of the ways I plan to wear them.

My look for the wedding will include the swing blouse by IC Collection over a tank by Clara Sunwoo and white pants by Lior Paris. All these items were a gift from ShopMyFairLady.com. The silver clutch is old from T.J.Maxx. The silver sandals are old by BCBGeneration.

The life-changing Ultimate Back Smoothing Bra & Body Shaper is by Shapeez.com. I will be buying the black one and will be wearing these for the rest of my life. This is the first bra/shaper item I have ever worn that is so comfortable you forget you have it on, and it actually smooths your midsection and back without being hot. Epic!

Here is a video also!

A Styling Secret

Do you dress to hide your tummy every day?

Since my teens, my weight has gone up and down with every crazy diet ever presented. I wish I had realized earlier that diets are designed to fail. If you are not going to change your eating habits forever, all the weight will come back and will likely add more pounds when it returns.

All that losing and gaining weight has created areas that will never be taut again, no matter how much I exercise. For most of my adult life, I have dressed to conceal my midsection.

Thankfully, my weight has remained about the same for the last five years after permanently changing my food choice. That means I have been able to invest in many different clothing styles and enjoy wearing them with confidence. In the past, there was always that question in the back of my mind, "Will I even be able to zip this in six months?"

We recently enjoyed an excellent evening meal at Rowland's located inside the Westglow Mansion in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

As soon as I previewed the photos we snapped before we began our trip, I knew I had to go back and put on my secret styling weapon.

Before

After

The foundation I am wearing in the after the photo is by Maidenform from Macy's.

Each time I model or wear anything that shows my shape, I wear this support garment. It helps with my posture and smooths the middle line in front and back without giving me an oddly shaped bustline.

The bra pictured below from Soma is the best fitting bra I have ever worn.

The necklace and tank top are old from Chico's. The Balmain sunglasses and cardigan are from Sak's Off 5th. The silver clutch is old from T.J.Maxx. The side-zip white pants were supplied by Fabrizio Gianni last year. The Gianni Bini sandals are from Dillard's.